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They certainly are more spirited and tell their story more distinctly than any others of those which have been brought to this country. : * See Appendix E., No. I. NOLOSU Ra, * PRIZES OF otypap x GH TO L Foor DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. 185 PLATE LXV. .Wais Plate contains three fragments of friezes similar in depth to that described in §. last Plate, but certainly not part of the same continuous decoration. The first, on the left hand at the top, certainly is not; in the first place, because its style is quite different, but also from its being but three inches less in depth. Fig. 2. may be part of another quadrant; its depth is exactly 2 feet, like the others in the last Plate.. Fig. 8. I fancy must have belonged to one of the returns of the Gateways. It is a complete picture in itself, and if it belonged to the outer Rail, could only -have been placed in some such detacl.ed position. Fig. 1., besides its -inferior style, is dreadfully weather-worn, so that it is difficult to make out the subject. In the first compartment we have a Hindu Raja, with his teapot, pouring water on the hand of a man-who carries a parasol, and he is accompanied by another man who likewise carries his own umbrella. Between these. figures stands a dwarf, bearing a tray on his head, either to support the spouted vessel when not in use, or to catch the drops of the liquid if they are precious. My _ impression is, however, that generally’ speaking the spouted vessel contains most ' probably water. In the next compartment we have a covered cart dratwn by two bullocks, remarkable as being one of the few wheeled carriages at Amravati. The Hindu in the cart meets a man with a parasol, and above him a man with a bangy follows one with a parasol, who is apparently welcomed by a tall figure with two children. In the third compartment three seated figures receive a deputation bearing offerings.. Is it possible that these men with the parasols are Chinese, and the subject of the bas-relief the reception of an embassy from China. We know that Fa Hian visited India from China in 399* and. travelled in search of Buddhist books and traditions over a. great part of India, though he did not reach Amravati. Yadjna Sri, however, a king whose coins are found. frequently at this place, and whose name appears—doubtfully—in one of the Amravati inscriptions (see page 160) sent an embassy to China about the year 408. From its style it is evident that this is among the most modern piéces of sculpture at Amravati, and certainly executed after the dates just quoted. There is, therefore, no @ priori improbability, and on the whole “E am very much inclined to believe that -this is the true interpretation of the subject. - Fig. 2. represents in its first snieeeheak the worship of the Dagoba, with its usual accompaniments, and on the right one of those Harem scenes to which it seems impossible at present to attach a name. A noble—he has no emblem of royalty—-pats under the chin a lady who is seated on the same sofa as himself. She apparently has a glory round her head, which he has not. It is not, However, Maya, for she died seven days after giving birth to her illustrious son, and I do not krow - any other female who would be so honoured. Perhaps, however, it is not a glory. * Foé-Kouc-Ki. Translated: by Rémusat and others. Paris, 1836.. (4799.) AA 186 ; . THE TOPE AT AMRAVATI. after all, but something borne by one of the attendants behind. The attendants both before and behind seem to be bringing refreshments, and the chief seems to hold something eatable in his hand. The figures are all. elegant, and the sculpture of the best class of those at Amravati. Whatever may be the difficulty with the two others, there is none whatever in identifying the subjects of the lower bas-relief. In the first compartment Suddho- dana, the father of Buddha, is seated on his throne. In the centre, on his Tight, sits Maya, this time certainly with a glory behind her head. On his left staré "Chis prime minister, and further on are four seated guests. The central compartment depicts the well-known legend of the birth of Buddha. When Maya* felt her time approaching, she left the city for the beautiful Lumbini garden, and gave birth to the future prophet, standing and holding on to a branch of a treet Behind her stands her mother-in-law, distinguished by her umbrella, ‘and beside her four men or gods hold a long cloth, which they are prepared to wrap round her. The infant was delivered from her left side. The cradle is prepared ‘in front, and the gods look on and worship above. The third compartment represents the Prince Siddhartha seated on a couch under a gorgeous canopy, with a glory behind his head. On the same couch is seated Gopa, his first wife. In front one woman is playing on a harp, another on a flute. Two in front of them are either listening or singing, and one is playing with a little girl. : All these subjects occur frequently again in the sculptures of the Amravati Tope, ‘and are almost .as-common in Buddhist iconography as the Nativity, or the Virgin and Child, are among Christian pictures. The mode of treatment: varies, however, in all, but excepting that it is somewhat weather-worn, this is one of the clearest and best I am acquainted with. In both this one and in number 2. above it will be observed that the different groups are cleverly divided from one another by walls, with ornamented ends towards the spectators; these separate without interrupting the action of the piece. | ae * One of the most tempting nominal similarities connected with this: subject is sugg gested by this name.. The mother of Buddha was called Mayé. The mother of Mercury was also Maia the daughter of Atlas. The Romans always called Wodin, Mercury, and dies Mercurii- and Wodensday alike Ao a designated the fourth day of the week. The serpent-formed Caduceus of Mercury seems nearly akin to: the serpent-shielled Buddha of our sculptures, and the astronomical sign of Mercury as represented in the annexed woodcut is very like our mysterious Trisul emblem. ~ These and other similarities have frequently been pointed out and insisted upon, and they are tod numerous and too distinct not to have some foundation in reality. All, however, that can ‘be said of them at present is that.our knowledge of the subject is not sufficiently advanced to enable us to make use of them as facts for the purposes of our investigation. We have not yet found the thread that is to guide us safely through the labyrinth, but I by no means despair of finding it, and that very shortly. { The Lalita-Vistara calls the tree a Pipal, “ Ficus religiosa,” p. 86. Others sey it was an ASoka, “ Jonesia Asoka.” In the bas-relief it looks like a Fipal. AMAA VAT | PLATE LXVI. aK 6 Fert incu ‘q xy Is aN y LIN \ At PAK i ws PS Ve / A ip (— yp A ——— %, 3 ¥ “ A ; d ZN DN os 1 ¢ Zi Es ee. i He KA ~ =f ‘ a a) i AER VAUSYB Ah | FS = a: me PS Ie oD SS 2). Za) Za eA A Ze UPS AA Ba ee ——_ iS ear SS SSS SS FeO OOO £\ Ce Na LOS | ) ly V LLNS (pes Se seseecees Dn WGRiGGS. LITH © 4 =/* BFeer 10.2 tnewes . \ ‘ ee (oman FACE OF PILLARS OF OUTER ENCLOSURE VOW GY ret aN Ox AAY A RLAXAN ARR ,% t#,. eee eee. ———eoOSS—O AKAN MAA ee ~~ = Ke Ve TY = oni we AIA AA A A AR A + +. | Wwe ~ PLATE LXVIL - Yy Yi yf, | 2 > ; . YY V/; ee Cie AUN — ry ca ‘2 No GW S$ Yh Id ~ a ail = 1 ha \E Vani pi M Pe hd Ni) gs Ne z Co, UB) py Vp a. 4 INA -paQ en go) ps (Hoy a I i i So Feer 10 Incues. > Mare Re fay Z waa ye i sy} 2 I i | te i ) ING NS : , NY Rail eS ; gy ai SAGn er RTA WAS a ® = ae yal h ¥ i \ ad pe ; A LI ree As iP Zaly Ufa) IN Harrell \ MMB GN (Ay) \ i DRSER Spr Want) OLA Mapsyak V7) #2, Kory y x4 N\A tg vA ee WAY \ WR ar NERA ef pis Al vr i fe 5S vA | \ f @) a S a SS a 1 K < RX A wt A WS AY bo A ye k fe d fs w_ J gcse K i S WR iN 4 ss DN ses, - a DK 4 BSS RII LESS 2 SSS = RS Kye a =i A a VP 7) Y 7 id f a MEO RTOMBTEETE < 7. a INDIA. MUSEUM ‘2 ‘ J f Inc DED te 694 YITYD YAYY. * 4 DIRVATION OM INTRON FLOR OF X PILLAR OF OUTER BNCLOSUBE. ; han, C5 J VY 3% Py AR AA ALA ue ae PLATE LXVIIL. SS i | - 4 S : rid = : SS WW N = ax} | ea uw £ FEET 9.5 INCHES. f <4 , es al YS Wet ma \i i "a5; VGA SEROU NG Lig Ms ft a wi s ae ee N =A iN Se ff WY) QW iva) Gs hg, Oe <) " TZ DB We aa on me Vip ie os Z ap = at wii (7. ey EX AAA =. ncn Mic age Ze Z, 4 eX sane vy a 3 = > iS spn ee Fee i i AY is a wai’ TON aS ea K Yy um iy, J Uy OR = Ba eat === Zak b ae ae Vs Lele. CAT 0,818) SO6C0C CP C0 G0 oe elec ones, = Sania ue —= 3 . - Tose anas Tal “hs 4 a S2FEET 8.9 INGHES. © i : ¥ wae eto or INTERNAL a POX ‘OF 3 PILLAR OF OUTER SNCLOSURE, T: . i" Pm DESCRIPTION OF PLATES. 187 PLATES LXVI., LXVIL, ann LXVIII. PLATE LXVI. Tuts Plate, lithographed from a drawing in the Mackenzie Collection, represents one of the angle pillars of the great Rail. The tall pillar, with three full and two half circles, is introduced as an angle piece terminating the curved part, and com. mencing the straight projection of one of the Gateways.* The subject of the central circle, though much broken, is apparently a Buddhist preacher addressing men and women in the foreground, who listen in attitudes of ‘adoration ; and higher up floating figures, Devas or Devatds, attend and bring offerings. , The three bas-reliefs in the octagon part below are similar in sabjexk to those described above in speaking of Plate LVIII. On the left a chief, seated on a throne, is listening to the animated eloquence of a warrior, who seems addressing a youth seated cross-legged on the ground.